Trolley-switch.



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Zwem/flaw@ Ik@ 0*( Mew/for F. w. KuLlcKE.

TROLLEY swncH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. 19H5.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

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F. W. KULICKE.

money swlrcH. A PPLICATION FILED MAR. 23| 1916.

' Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

4 ySHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inewtor nnrrnn srarns rarnivr ernten.

FREDERICK W. KULicKn, or rnntanntrnia, rnnNsYLvANIA.

TnoLtnv-swrron.

specimen@ of Letterratent.

. resented nel). 27,1917.

' Application filed March 23, 1916. -Seral No. 86,969.

paratus, and more particularly to that form of switch in which the mechanism is operated by suitable engaging means, such as a trolley wheel, carried by a moving vehicle.

1it is essential that a switch of this kind should be positive in its operation and that a good contact should be made for a suflicient length of time, whether the car which' operates the switch is movingrat afast or effective to lock the lever in the position it already occupies until the irst contact makingparts have returned to their normal position. l further provide strips or actuating members adapted to be engaged by the trolley wheel, connected with operative mecha-l nism and each adapted to operaterthe parts to form its respectivecontact when engaged l.

by the trolley wheel. These strips arefso located that the operationy of one `must follow immediately upon-the operation of the other, without any intervening interval. Consequently, a contact made by the engagement of one strip with the trolley wheelris continued by the locking operation of the other contact making parts during the vengagement of the other strip with the'trolley w-heehy W'hich Contact is made depends of course,V

onl which strip is first engaged by the trolleywheel, or the direction in which the trolslow rate of speed. lt is also desirable that the parts to be operated by the trolley wheel should be able to withstand the,- shock of a rapidly moving wheel, and that they should be so arranged as `not to displace the trolley wheel from the wire. It is further desirable that one set of contacts should be made by` cars moving in one direction and another by those moving in the other, and that there should be no possibility of eithercar making the wrong contact. desirable to eliminate the possibility of any backlash or tendency of the parts, after one contact has been made, to swing back past the normal point and form a second or reverse Contact. y.

My invention has for its main object theattainment of the above recited vdesiderata and to provide a switch which is simple and effective, strong enough to withstand the shock and capable of producing a sure and lasting contact without the possibility of incorrect or accidental operation.

To this endv l provide a vswinging lever which is relatively light in comparison with the other parts, butcapable of making one ot two contacts when moved to either 'of its alternative positions. This lever is so arranged in connection with selective mechanism that when it has been moved to one contact forming position, not only is the action of the parts normally tending to move Furthermore, it is,k

it to the other contact forming position. reny dered ineffective to do So, but also rendered ley is moving. l 'l Referring to the accompanying drawings- A Figure l, is a side elevation of' a device conveniently illustrating Y my invention.

Fig. Il, is a-ninverted plan view "of-the same. 1

VFig. IILis a view partly in side elevation i and partly in section on an enlarged scale, with the protective cover removed.

r Fig. 1V, is a, plan viewof the parts shown in Fig. Hl, the spring contacts and their supporting `members having been nomitted to facilitate the' illustration of parts which would otherwise be hidden. v

Fig. V, is a vertical cross section on line V-.fV of Fig. III. Y n

` FigfVI, is a detail showing the operation of one of the contact arms under the action ofthe selective control.

Fig. VH, is a detail VIL-VII of Fig. I.

' Figs. VIH and IX, illustrate tion of my invention, andV y Figs. X to Xlllhinclusive, are detail views of a modified actuating stripwhich may be employed in either form of: my invention.

As herein shown, the switch mechanism is mounted on a supporting frame 1, above the trolley wire 2, and supported thereon by means of strips 8, 3, and ears l, and 5: Ear 5, may also be attached to an eye 6, 1n any convenient span wire, and thereby aliords 'a means for leveling the switch, as hereinsection taken on liney a modificaafter explained. A, cover 7, incloses the operative mechanism and is dctachably secured 'to frame 1, by means of thumb screws 8.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 111, inV which the parts are shown in their normal and inoperative position, pivot 10, is centrally mounted above frame 1, and supported at either end by standards 9, 9, shown in F ig. V. Loosely mounted on this pivot is swinging lever 11. Also loosely mounted on pivot 10, are levers 12, and 13, provided with counterweights 14, and 15, respectively. These counterweights overbalance the levers and tend to hold them in the position shown. ln this they are aided by springs 16, and 17. rllhe counterweights also serve to greatly increase the inertia of the two levers, and consequently, as will be shown, increasing the length of the time of contact.

1n order that swinging lever 11, may effectively control levers 12, and 13, it is provided at its free end with pins 20, and 21, (see Fig. V), while lugs 22, and 23, project from the inner sides of levers 12, and 13, respectively. Lever 11, hangs normally so that pins 20, and 21, lie between lugs 22, and 23, without engaging either of them, as shown in Fig. 111, but when moved in either direction one of the pins engages one of the lugs. `W hen moved to the right, pin 20, engages lug 22, raising counterweight 14, and moving the other end of lever 12, into Contact with spring contact 26. rlhis contact is made in the form of an arc conforming to that through which the end of lever 12, travels. liever`12, is provided with an anti-friction roller 23, at its upper end and contact 26, is acted on by springs 30, and 32, so that a positive and lasting Contact is formed between roller 28, and contact 26.' 1n the same way, when lever 11, is moved to the left, pin 21, engages lug 23, and moves roller 29, into Contact with spring contact 27, which is similarly controlled by the action of springs 31, and 33. A 1n order to properly actuate lever 11, and move it to either the right or left, I provide cam levers 40, and 41, pivoted at 42, and 43, respectively, and provided with cams 44, and 45, having outer surfaces 46, and 47, and inner surfaces, 48, and 49, respectively. rihese cam surfaces are adapted to coperate with rollers 24, and 25, mounted on pins 20, and 21, of lever 11. When lever 41, is raised, surface 47, engages roller 25, moving lever 11, to the left, to the position shown in Fig. V1, and in turn moving'lever 13,-to the right and closing the Contact between roller 29, and spring 27. However, if lever 40, is raised while the parts are in this position, roller 24, on pivot 11, instead of being engaged by the outer cam surface 46, is en gaged by inner surface 48, so that instead of being moved in the other direction and breaking the Contact, levar 11, is held and locked in its position, the contact b'` f maintained until lever 40, is lowered a and all the parts swing back to their normal positions.k

These levers are raised by means of actuating members, or strips 50, and 51. rlhe strips are inclined upward at their outer ends and curve upward at their inner nds as shown in Fig. 111. The inner ends are cut to form shoulders 53, Vand 59, and arranged to overlap as shown in Fig. l1. They are attached to thin springy strips 52, and 53, which are in turn pivoted to Jframe 1, at 54, and 55. Levers 40, and 41, are supported in the position shown in Fig. 111, by pins 64, and'65, which engage trame 1, and are provided at their lower ends with rollers 60, and 61, mounted on pins 62, and These pins 62, and 63, are arranged to engage hoolrs 56, and 57, attached to strips 50, and 51, respectively, in such a way as to hold the strips just above trolley wire 2. ln this way it will also be seen that when strip 51, is raised, it engages roller 61, raising lever 41, and that when the raising force is released the weight of strip 51, coperates with the weight of the lever in returning them to their normal lower. position. Strips 52, and 53, being very light and springy tend to greatly reduce the jar on the actuating parts when the heavier strips 50, and 51, are raised and lowered.

As shown in Fig. 111, strips 50, and 51, are varranged to normally rest just above trolley wire 2, so that the flanges of the trolley wheel as it travels along the wire raise the strips in succession, the distance which the iiange projects above the wire. 1t also results from the way in which the strips are positioned, and the .vayin which the inner ends overlap shoulders 5S, and 59, that when the trolley wheel, traveling from one side to the other has raised one of the strips to its full height, the shoulder on that strip has engaged the inner end of the other strip and slightly raised it also. 1n the same way when the wheel has passed to the second strip and raised it, its shoulder in turn prevents the first strip from dropping at once to its lowest position. This construe tion not only reduces the jar on both the trolley wheel and the switch members, but also prevents the possibility of any interval elapsing between the raising of the two strips, so that when the second strip is raised, the parts are always in the posit-ion to which they have been moved by the raising of the first strip, and the raising of the second strip therefore holds the parts in this position until it in turn is lowered. As a result, a Contact is secured during the entire period which it takes the wheel to traverse both strips.

When the parts swing back to their normal position after the trolley wheel has passed, cam levers 40, and 41, drop to their iiormalnlower position, 'releasing swinging lever 11, and allowing the lever which has made the contact to also fall back to its normal position. In doing so, however, the

increased inertia due to the counterweight' tends to slow up its action and therefore increases the time of contact. Stops 66, and 67, mounted on counterweights 14, and 15,

limit the downward swing of the countercontact is absolutely avoided. j

To properly level the supporting frame 1, I provide two T shaped pieces 70, and 71, provided with elongated slots 72, and 73, see Figs. I, II and VII. One of these'pieces may be fastened to one of thestrips 3, and the other to the uprighthbolt extendingfrom one of the supporting ears. The two pieces are bolted together by bolts 74, and 75, as

nshown inFig I, and the plane of either piece may be changed by simply 'hammering the pieces around.

' I further provide that the actuating mechanism and the circuits controlled'thereby Vbe completely insulated from the trolley wire, as shown Yin Eig. III. I-Iere plates of insulating material ,77, 77, are

placed on both sides of strips 3, 3, and pre-V vent any circuit being made through ears 4, and 5. Contact springs 28, and 27, are

y mounted on non-conducting plates 78, 78,

and with insulation 79, in levers 12, and 13, prevent any circuits forming through the actuating mechanism.

Y In Figs. X, XI., and XII, I have shown a variation in the form of actuating strips.

In this form strip 50, is directly pivoted to frame 1, at 54, thus doing away with the intermediate piece 52. Attached tothe lower side of the strip and running longitudinally thereof are pieces 80, and 81, which project below the top of the trolley wire on both sides of it as shown in Fig. XI, so that the flange of the trolley wheel engaging the strip as shown in Fig. XII, raises the strip that much higher.

In Figs. VIII, and IX, I have shown a variation of the actuating mechanism. In

thisform lever 11,- is transformed into aV semicircular disk 88, in which are cut slots 87, and 88, forming cam surfaces 89, and 90. Levers 91, and 92, are `pivoted at 93, and 94, and pro-vided with jaws 95, and 96. These jaws carry pins 97, and 98, on which are mounted rollers 111, and 112, adapted to slid'ein cam slots 37, and 88, respectively. When lever 41, is ra-ised, cam; surface 47,

engages roller 103, 'pivoted on pin 101, in

the same manner -as roller 25, and pin 21, moving the lever and its projections tol the left. This moves cam slot 87, and shifts lever. 99, tothe right, closing the circuit from 99 to 109. In performing this operation pin 101, engages lug 105, on counterweight 107, in the same manner in which pin 21, engages lug 25. Counterweight 107, is Vspringpressed andv pivoted in the saine way as counterweight 15, and though it doesl not4 serve to counterbalance lever 99, its weight serves to increase the inertia i and prolong the time of` contact.

'It is evident that? although my devicezis primarily'y designed for overhead trolleys, its use is not limited thereto, but with yslight variation may be `adapted to be used with any trolley or railway system, or any moving object. i

I-Iaving thus described my. invention, I claim: i

1. Switch mechanism including ya circuitV closer; an'a'ctuating strip adapted to op-1 erate said closer; a second actuating strip. adapted to lock vsaidcloser in its contact-` forming position, said'strips'having. overlapping shoul'dersvf'hereby the operation of the first mentioned strip partially operates the second.

2. Switch mechanism 'including 'a circuit closer; an actuating strip adapted to Voperate said closer; a second actuating stripadapted to lock said closer in its contactforming/"position, said strips being arranged to overlap so that vthe operation of the first mentioned strip partiallyoperates the second andv neither can return toits normal position until released bythe other.

3.' Switch mechanism#including a pair of contacts; respective means for closing each of said contacts, nsaid closing means being adapted to also operate to lock the opposite Contact when it has been'iirst closedfby its closing.- means; and means whereby the operationof one closing means partially' op.

crates the other as a locking means.

' 4. Switch mechanism includinga pairxof contacts; means vadapted to close either Ycontact, said means being onlyV effective to do so when the opposing contact `is open; the same means being adapted to loc-lr either Icontact when the opposing contact is first closed by its respective closing means; and. means whereby when one of said means has been operated to 'close its' contact, the other of said means is partially operated to lock the same contact. e

5.` Switch mechanism including a pair of contacts; a pair of actuating stripsv adapted respectively to close each `of'said contacts when 4the opposing Contact is 'v open, said strips being`also'effective to lock each of said contacts when the vopposing contact is closed by operation of its respective strip, and having overlapping parts, whereby the operation of one strip to close its contact partially operates the other strip to lock the same contact.

. 6. In switch mechanism adapted to be engaged by a moving trolley wheel, the combination of a pair of contacts; means for closing said contacts; means for locking said contacts, said locking means being operative only when the contact has first been closed by said closing means, and actuating means adapted to be engaged by a trolley wheel and when so engaged to operate said closing and locking means, said actuating means being arranged to overlap so that when engaged by a trolley wheel the operation of locking commences before the operation of closing has been completed.

7. Switch mechanism including a pair of circuit closers; a swinging lever adapted to alternatively control either circuit closer; a pair of cam levers each having an operative cam surface and a locking surface, and means for successively operating each of said cam levers, so arranged that when said swinging lever is engaged by the operative surface of one of said cam levers, the means for engaging said swinging lever by the locking surface of the other cam lever is partially operated.

8. Switch mechanism including a pair of circuit closers; a swinging lever controlling said circuit closers; selective means adapted to operate said swinging lever to close either circuit and individual actuating strips adapted to operate each of said means.

9. Switch mechanism including a pair of circuit closers, a swinging lever controlling said closers, means alternatively adapted to operate said lever to close either circuit, said means being so arranged that when one circuit has been closed, actuation of the means normally tending to close the other circuit is only effective to lock the parts in the first mentioned position, and a pair of actuating strips adapted to operate said means successively, said strips being so arranged that the operation of the first mentioned means partially operates the second.

10. Switch mechanism including a pair of circuit closers, a swinging lever controlling said closers, means alternatively adapted to Voperate said lever to close either circuit, said means being so arranged that when one circuit has been closed, actuation of the means normally tending to close the other circuit is only effective to lock the parts in the first mentioned position, and a pair of actuating strips adapted to operate said means successively, said strips overlapping, whereby one strip when actuated partially actuates the other, and neither strip can return to its normal position until released by the other.

11. In a trolley switch adapted to be operated by a moving trolley wheel, the combination of a circuit closer; an actuating strip adapted to operate said circuit closer when engaged by a moving trolley wheel; another actuating strip mounted in such relation to said first mentioned strip as to be engaged by the trolley wheel immediately after it has engaged the first mentioned strip, and means whereby said second mentioned strip when so engaged prevents said first mentioned strip from returning to its normal and inoperative position.

12. Switch mechanism including a pair of circuit closers, a swinging lever controlling said circuit closers pivoted between them, a pair of cam levers adapted to alternatively operate said swinging lever to close either circuit, means for locking said circuit closers, a pair of actuating strips adapted to successively operate the closing means and the locking means, and means whereby said actuating strips when so operated prevent said cam lever from returning to its normal inoperative position until after the locking means have been released.

13. In a trolley switch adapted to be operated by a moving trolley wheel, the combination of a movable contact member; a fixed contact member adapted` to be engaged by said movable contact member to form a moving contact; actuating strips adapted to engage a moving trolley wheel; means whereby said movable Contact member is maintained in Contact with said fixed contact member, while said actuating strips are engaged by said trolley wheel, and a weight connected with said movable contact member, whereby its inertia is increased and it is maintained in moving contact with said fixed contact member for a periodof time after said actuating strips have ceased to be engaged by lsaid trolley wheel.`

14. 1n a trolley switch adapted to be engaged by a moving trolley wheel, the combination of a fixed contact member; a movable contact member adapted to form moving contact with said fixed contact member and also to form stationary contact with said fixed contact member; actuating means adapted to be engaged by a moving trolley Wheel and to hold said movable contact member in stationary contact with said fixed contact member while so engaged; and weights` connected with said movable contact member, whereby the inertia of said movable member is increased, so that it is maintained in moving contact with said fixed contact member for a period of time after said actuating means have ceased to be engaged by said trolley wheel.

15. In a trolley switch adapted to be supported above a trolley wire, -a frame for supporting said switch, a support for attaching said frame to said wire, and means for leveling said frame, including a pair of T shaped pieces, one of said pieces being attached to said support the other being attached to said frame.

16. In a trolley switch adapted to be supported above a trolley Wire and adapted to be engaged by a trolley Wheel traveling along said Wire, a frame for supporting said switch; means for attaching said frame to said Wire, and means for leveling said frame, including a pair of T shaped pieces Copies of this patent may be obtainedffor provided with elongated slots adapted to be bolted together through said slots, one of said pieces being attached to said attaching means andthe other to the frame.

v In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this tvventyirst day of March, 1916.

FREDERICK W. KULICKE.

Witnesses: Y

JAMES I-I. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

